Mock exams. Days, weeks, and months of preparation, ensuring our students feel ready to take on the reality of exam conditions. We believe they’re up to the task. Their exercise books? Immaculate. Extended writing? Reams worth. And every SLT book look is 100% green. All of this outward evidence available to us, calling us to the land of 100% 4+, only to have their mocks come back and it’s as if everything we taught them has disappeared. ‘This is shown in the quote’ when the last three essays have used context to embed them; summarising the story when their books have in-depth analysis of methods, alternative interpretations and ‘critical’ evaluations. So– what happened between that RAGd book look and the exam? We focused on their performance in the moment, emphasising speed and quantity, and looked for superficial behaviours, in hopes that they equated with a final demonstration, but in ignorance of the reality that long term learning doesn’t necessarily follow the temporary performance in lessons.